杏MAP导航

By Devin Watkins

杏MAP导航 Pius XI inaugurated Vatican Radio on 12 February 1931 with the clear mission of carrying the voice of the 杏MAP导航 and the hope of the Gospel to every corner of the globe.

It was designed and set up by Guglielmo Marconi, who invented the first commercially-successful radio transmission system, and was entrusted to the Jesuit Order until 2017.

Now, 90 years later, Vatican Radio has expanded its operations to include radio transmissions in 41 languages.

To mark this major milestone, the broadcaster is also launching a reworked website and a web radio which will broadcast programming 24 hours a day.

Enduring mission of service

In a statement released on Tuesday, Vatican Radio鈥檚 directors praised the long-standing efforts of Vatican Radio, whose staff hail from 69 nations.

Dr. Paolo Ruffini, Prefect of the Dicastery for Communication, Vatican Radio鈥檚 parent organization, said the Radio is continually evolving while remaining rooted in its originality and identity.

鈥淲e celebrate this historic milestone with gratitude for all that has been done by those who have come before us,鈥� he said, 鈥渁nd who looked toward the future at the same time.鈥�

Vatican Radio, he pointed out, maintains its dedication to its original mission of 鈥渟ervice to the Church, the 杏MAP导航, and the human person wherever they may be, no matter what religion or culture they belong to.鈥�

Strong roots, growing branches

Dr. Ruffini recalled the Radio鈥檚 proud history of transmitting the voice of the 杏MAP导航 to the world, despite the threats of World War II, fascism, and communism. He said the Radio is celebrating 鈥渢he prospect of a missionary future founded on the gentle power of the spoken and heard word.鈥�

Recalling that Vatican Radio became part of the Dicastery for Communication on 1 January 2017, Dr. Ruffini said the Radio forms 鈥渢he strong roots on which the tree that is Vatican News is growing, the internet site that recounts the Church鈥檚 stories and Papal magisterium鈥�.

He went on to announce the launch of a web radio, which will bring Vatican Radio to anyone with an internet connection in any part of the world.

Dr. Ruffini called it 鈥渁nother small step on the journey of the Dicastery for Communication that will see several of its entities celebrate important anniversaries (25 years of the website Vatican.va, December 2020; 160 years of the Osservatore Romano), as we look toward to building the future together.鈥�

Anniversary in a pandemic

In the same statement, Massimiliano Menichetti, the Managing Editor of Vatican Radio, acknowledged that the 90th anniversary is being marked as humanity faces the trials imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

鈥淥ur mission has always been not to leave anyone behind and to bring the hope of the Christian proclamation, the voice of the 杏MAP导航, and sound interpretation of events in the light of the Gospel,鈥� he said. 鈥淪o, this moment challenges us more than ever before.鈥�

Dr. Menichetti said Vatican Radio has spent much effort over the last year to 鈥渃ollect and narrate stories of people helping people, of solidarity, of spirituality, as we show the face of the Church and every part of society which is building bridges鈥攎ore often than not in silence.鈥�

Integrated reality

The Director of Vatican Radio also recalled the many changes the station has seen in recent years.

鈥淭he reform desired by the 杏MAP导航,鈥� said Dr. Menichetti, 鈥渉as directed us toward a new dimension in which we are no longer solely a radio, but an integrated reality which is still evolving.鈥�

鈥淰atican Radio鈥檚 personnel, who come from 69 nations,鈥� he said, 鈥渁re the reason why the Vatican News web portal was born, where articles, video, photos, audio, and social media can be found.鈥�

Vast network

Giacomo Ghisani, Legal Representative of Vatican Radio and a member of the Executive Board of the European Broadcasting Union, noted that the 杏MAP导航鈥檚 Radio engages frequently with other broadcasters.

鈥淭his vast network of relations is also expressed through the partnerships that Vatican Radio has with many other radio stations鈥攂oth Catholic and non-Catholic, regional and local鈥攁s well as with websites that broadcast the Radio鈥檚 language programs, thus allowing it to reach the most remote places with greater effectiveness,鈥� he said.

New services

The Web Radio of Vatican Radio will debut on 12 February in English, Italian, French, Spanish, Portuguese, German, and Armenian, at the website: /en/epg.html.

Throughout the year, about 30 live program schedules will be created.

Vatican Radio currently transmits in 41 languages: Albanian, Amharic, Arabic, Armenian, Belarusian, Brasilian, Bulgarian, Czech, Chinese, Croatian, English, Esperanto, Ewondo, French, German, Hindi, Hungarian, Italian, Kikongo, Kinyarwanda, Kirundi, Latin, Latvian, Lingala, Lithuanian, Malagasy, Malayalam, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Slovenian, Somali, Spanish, Swahili, Tamil, Tigrinya, Tshiluba, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese.